Here We Go

The party's over. My family arrived home last night from the last of the genuine summer playtime excursions. We spent the last four days at Flaming Gorge Reservoir with friend Brian and his rather large family. Friday we rafted the Green River and Saturday we played in the water. I even taught an early morning impromptu yoga class on the rocks at the water's edge Saturday morning. The sun had been hiding behind the clouds so we called it out to play with some Surya Namaskara. We worked our way through the usual standing poses and then, because the students were all men or maybe just because it's fun and looks cool, we worked our way into bakasana. James had a little ashtanga experience and managed this quite well even given the slanted angle of his rock. Brian and Tyler moved into this arm balance with the fearlessness of a kid and both of them nailed it for a few seconds anyway. It was high energy and a lot of fun in a beautiful setting. After stretching out the hip flexors we took ustrasana, camel's pose, when I heard one of the best sounds a yoga teacher can hear, "Oh, this feels so good." And it did. Brian's niece, Izzy, took pictures and I made Brian promise he'd send them to me. I hope he remembers because I have a feeling these pictures are worth more than a thousand words.

There were more than a thousand words and accompanying emotions all tangled up in my brain this weekend, so what a relief to let some of them go. It was nice to unplug--no phone, no Facebook, no Hotmail. While my pescatarian family fished the lake I sat my vegetarian butt on a rock to observe the water, the light, and the faces of my daughters. I started this blog as a means to chronicle and perhaps inspire myself to live more simply, to keep in touch with what's essential in my life. All that is about to be put to the test as I dive back into my work--I'm an elementary school teacher. This year promises to be hectic and I pray (you know what I mean) I have the resources to come back to the emptiness I experienced after I'd looked at the water, light and faces long enough to be tired of it. I will be teaching my 2nd year of 2nd grade. One hundred and eighty days surrounded by 27 small people. I like to think they will learn to read and write well, but also hope that I will recognize that this is our LIFE--we are living our lives there in a classroom. Good teaching is a human experience. I will also be teaching more yoga classes. I have a regular Saturday gig at our community fitness center. I will be filling in for another teacher two evenings a week when she takes time off to have a baby. Additionally a good friend of mine is leaping into the adventure of opening a small studio where I'll teach one or two classes a week. Furthermore, I'm enrolled in a master's level program to obtain a reading endorsement. This is a two year commitment requiring one evening a week in class and I imagine much of my weekend writing and reading. And let me not forget my friends and family. Sound like too much? Where will I squeeze in my own yoga practice? That's what early mornings are for. This blog is to bring me back to remembering. Keep it simple--a consistent practice, a clean diet, time for breath and sleep and calm attention.

So here we go. I start the first of my teacher meetings this morning. I will frantically work to set up my classroom this evening and all day tomorrow. (I believe I'll bring my yoga mat and string together my own intuitive flow rather than hit a studio class today). Time to take a deep breath and dive on in.